ORLANDO — It’s great to have a Batman and it’s nice to have a Robin too, but what if Pascal Siakam is more than just a sidekick? What if the Toronto Raptors have a pair of ultra-elite forwards in Kawhi Leonard and Siakam?

It’s getting harder by the day to merely consider Siakam, Toronto’s 6-foot-9 do-it-all power forward merely a complimentary piece. Not after he joined LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only NBAers to notch at least 30 points and 10 rebounds without committing a single turnover in a playoff game since 2015. Siakam’s now averaging 24.5 points, 10 rebounds and three assists through three games against the Orlando Magic and has turned the ball over only once. Siakam’s also averaged 40 minutes a night and after playing 42 in Game 3, said Saturday that he was feeling it a little bit a day later.

Head coach Nick Nurse didn’t believe him. “First of all, he’s young and riding a wave right now. I bet he’s not that tired,” said a smiling Nurse.

“I bet he’s enjoying this, and I think he’s got plenty of energy.” In his media session at the team’s hotel, Siakam hinted that Nurse was on to something.

“It’s been really interesting,” Siakam said of his first playoff experience as a top option after previously playing just 10 post-season minutes, before coming off of the bench last spring.

When told that his stellar play would likely result in Orlando sending more double-teams his way in a frantic effort to try to slow him down, the way they do for his superstar teammate, a beaming Siakam acted as if he had never before pondered the possibility.

“Wow, Kawhi treatment. Oh man,” Siakam said.

“Well, he’s played great in all the games,” Nurse said. “I’m expecting even more adjustments coming at him, so let’s see if he can continue to grow and make the right play. That’s really what it’s all about: They’re changing matchups and changing coverages. You’ve really just got to make the right basketball play.”

Siakam’s rise from obscurity has been well-documented, even if some of his teammates still don’t know all of the details (Danny Green couldn’t help but express his shock while sharing the podium with Siakam late Friday night when a reporter mentioned Siakam had only been playing basketball for seven years) but the current Raptor who has been alongside him the most insists he saw this coming.

Fred VanVleet arrived in Toronto with Siakam when both were 22-year-old rookies.

They powered Raptors 905 to a G League championship and have spent countless hours together in gyms, so VanVleet knows what he’s talking about.

“Not really man, not really. I don’t mean to slight him in any way, but I’ve seen it from Day 1,” VanVleet told the Toronto Sun when asked whether Siakam’s latest breakout performance surprised him at all.

“I’ve seen the growth, I’ve seen the work that he puts in. I’ve seen the progress and the talent and the potential and I just love watching him going out there and putting it all together,” VanVleet said.

“His role is growing and growing and growing and the sky is the limit for the type of player that he can be and it’s just fun to be along for the ride and to be there with him.” In Game 3 Leonard was clearly not himself. The media, fans and Magic didn’t know it until Nurse spilled the beans afterward that he was battling the flu, but Leonard’s teammates did. They were aware someone would have to step up.

Siakam was ready to carry the load.

“Yeah, that’s why he’s the most improved (player in the NBA), he can carry us on any given night,” Van Vleet said. “And it doesn’t take him 25 shots and he’s not the No. 1 option all the time and that’s even more impressive on a championship-caliber team to be a second, third option and still be able to have breakout games like that. It’s amazing, it really is. It’s hard to put into words but obviously we’re very lucky to have him.”

@WolstatSun

EX-RAPTOR ROSS COULD SPARK MAGIC

ORLANDO — With the offence sputtering and the season potentially slipping away, the Magic might have to insert ex-Raptor Terrence Ross into the starting lineup.

Orlando has averaged only 97.2 points per 100 possessions, ranking 13th amongst the 16 playoff teams and long-time starting shooting guard Evan Fournier has had a nightmarish first three games (15 misses on 20 three-point attempts, .286 shooting from the field overall), while Ross has led the team, averaging 16.3 points per game.

Ross has had his moments so far, including banking in a buzzer-beating three from just over halfcourt in Game 3 to give the home side some momentum.

Ross, selected eighth overall by Toronto in 2012, wouldn’t be the first former draft pick to come back and play a big playoff role against them.

It started with 1996 No. 2 overall selection Marcus Camby helping New York sweep Toronto in the franchise’s first playoff appearance in 2000 and playing even better the next year when the Raptors prevailed. Most notably there was Vince Carter going off for the New Jersey Nets in 2007 and now Ross might get an even bigger role for the rest of this series.

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